KWANIA – Members of Abapiri Oil Seed Cooperative Society Limited in Abapiri village, Atule parish, Chawente Sub-county in Kwania district are earning good money from beekeeping as they sell honey and other related products.
The cooperative with 451 members and a current loan portfolio of Shs 250 million was established in 2017 as a Village Savings and Loan Association [VSLA] with the aim of promoting commercial agriculture and strengthening group marketing for increased household incomes.
However, Stephen Otim Puli, the chairperson of the cooperative, says they previously dealt in soya beans, simsim and maize but picked interest in modern beekeeping following an initiative by a local non-governmental organization, Community Management Watershed Development Organisation [Comwo], which supported bee farmers with funds provided by the European Union.
“Comwo conducted a sensitisation of the farmers about the best practices of modern beekeeping, followed by training, processing and marketing of the packed honey. The farmers were equipped with skills in quality control, harvesting as well as spotting places to establish apiaries,” he said.
He added: “It is important to note that apiaries are set either under a big tree or a thick of forested natural trees, where there is source of water and where there is no noise.”
According to Otim, since members of started keeping bees last year, they have harvested honey three times. Each bee hive contains 10 kilogrammes of honey on average. The honey is processed at the mini factory and packed in 500-gramme bottles and sold at Shs 6, 000 each. “Since November last year, we have sold honey worth Shs 5.5mln which will be shared among the members, “he said.
According to Marry Akello, the general secretary of the cooperative, members who own local beehives individually bring honey for processing at the cooperative’s plant at a subsidised fee.
Robert Ogwal, a member of the cooperative says, “We are so excited because our lives are gradually changing. Currently, the processed honey is sold at the local markets in Aduku, Apac, and Lira. Most customers like it because it is not adulterated.”
He added: We plan to collect proceeds from the sales which we intend to save and eventually lend to other farmers inform of loans which will be paid back with interest.”
George Johnson Ojok Ocen, Kwania district production coordinator encouraged more farmers in the district to embrace beekeeping, saying the enterprise is easy to manage, especially that the district is endowed with natural vegetation.
“Our area is endowed with natural flowering plants, which enhance the quality of the honey. Although the source of water is a big challenge, I want to advise more farmers to invest in beekeeping, “he said in a brief telephone interview on Friday.
Bees are generally farmed for their honey and other products such as bee wax, propolis, flower pollen, royal jelly and bee pollen among others. It is estimated that there are more than 20,000 species of wild bee species around the world.
https://thecooperator.news/lira-beekeepers-form-cooperative-to-boost-honey-production/
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